better antenna

[bluestallion]

Right now i have an A99 antenna. They seem to be a pretty good antenna for the price. I'm looking for maybe a better antenna without breaking the bank. Looking at around $100.00 I know i could get an Imax2000, but was wondering if there where any other good antennas out there. Thanks

 

[CamoRedneck]

maco v58
MACO :: Profile

 

[BOOTY MONSTER]

Maco V-Quad Antenna Review

 

[443]

I've owned the A99 and the Maco V58....

I ran them side by side. The Maco definately wins hands down. Better receive, better TX (actually has more gain than a dipole antenna, whereas A99=less than a regular dipole in some people tests I have seen)

I think it goes this way: A99= -.1dBd (dB gain vs standard dipole antenna) whereas Maco V58 = +1.5dBd gain.... I think I pretty much confirmed this comparing the 2 antennas. Never tried it against a properly setup dipole though.

If you have room for the Maco V58, as it has large radials at the bottom that stick out quite a bit, then go for it, fits your budget and is better performer than A99 for sure 100%.

If you don't have room for the radials, but are not limited in antenna height, the Imax 2000 is reported to work excellent. I ordered one, will be in this week, will test it out, I don't have the A99 or the Maco V58 anymore, but I have a M103C yagi beam antenna to test the Imax 2000 against, I tested it against the Maco V58, so I should be able to get an idea of how well it would compare to the V58 performance...

I think the Imax 2000 is a 3/4 wave over 5/8 wave design or something like that, an old trick that was used in antennas a long time ago that works very well, reportedly... I will find out soon! Other locals that went to Imax 2000 from other standard 5/8 or 1/2 wave groundplane type antennas reported to me that they were just as or more happy with the Imax 2000... only thing is it bends ALOT in the wind, but will survive for a good while.

 

[BOOTY MONSTER]

"I think the Imax 2000 is a 3/4 wave over 5/8 wave design or something like that....."

usaywhat ?

 

[gamegetter]

i thought the imax 2k was a .64

 

[443]

Read that somewhere. Been a while since I seen it, like 5 years ago so I may be incorrect. Some guys dissected one and posted it all online.

 

[443]

Okay here you go:

The Imax 2000 EXPOSED!


Not sure where I got the 3/4 over 5/8 wave from... hehe, memory is getting worse as I get older. Must have been some other antenna. Imax 2000 FTW, or if you want an all metal antenna, (almost all) get the Maco V58. Can't go wrong either way apparently. Sell the A99 for $20 to a local who needs a half ass base antenna.

 

[BOOTY MONSTER]

the imax is a metal antenna too . it uses a copper wire for the vertical . the fiberglass is just viagra to keep the wire up

 

[Robb]

Yeah, they did the fiberglass to make it insulated - in case the antenna should fall against a power wire. Insulation will work up to 10kv.

They will bend wildly in high winds; and then come back to its normal shape.

 

[gamegetter]

barefoot or power ?

If running barefoot, the imax .64 would be my choice. Running power with an amplifier tho' i would have to find out how much the wire inside the imax can handle.

 

[443]

If running barefoot, the imax .64 would be my choice. Running power with an amplifier tho' i would have to find out how much the wire inside the imax can handle.

Looks like you'd need an amplifier running on something like a 220Volt 50 amp circuit to even come close to causing that antenna any harm. Most people's base amps are on a 15A 110V circuit these days, or on a battery and battery charger or decent sized 110V power supply unit. Not possible to make enough power to harm it with out running a big tube boxor a huge bank of batteries with a big pill box, bigger than 8 pills. I am sure plenty of people have run small 3-500Z type amps on IMAX's with no trouble at all.

 

[gamegetter]

two different criteria,,,the insulation that Robb mentions-10kv protection is in case if your antenna falls on a power line, that is what the insulation is rated at. What I am talking about is how much rf power you can run through the copper wire itself without causing a meltdown. hope this helps explain it a little better.

 

[hookedon6]

two different criteria,,,the insulation that Robb mentions-10kv protection is in case if your antenna falls on a power line, that is what the insulation is rated at. What I am talking about is how much rf power you can run through the copper wire itself without causing a meltdown. hope this helps explain it a little better.

you ain't NEVER gonna melt that wire with just RF

 

[Robb]

Hams use it and claim they give it full legal power - 1500 watts PEP.

I've never run more than 100 watts PEP thru mine.

It is the easily the best antenna that I ever bought for less than $100. Assembles in 5 minutes, no SWR adjustment necessary, and covers 10-11-12 meters without adjusting a thing. Very cool beans...